The Theory
A Clinical Approach to Technology Technology overwhelmingly improves economies and quality of life. However, while the improvements outweigh the costs, changes to lifestyle conflicts often with strongly held and often justifiable traditions. In order to address this conflict, we have formulated a theory that takes a clinical approach to problems created when new technologies proliferate. We call this the Clinical Approach to Technology. Diagnosis: The economists and innovators of the mid 20th century saw a future where the improvement of working conditions over the 19th century continued. While our productivity and compensation have grown largely commensurate with technology, the 40 hour work week continues as the norm in Western life. In fact, American corporate practices have sought to undo the separation between work and personal life (e.g. the "napping pods" employed in the offices of Google), in an attempt to induce near-constant production from employees. While this is an improvement over the firewall between work and home life that was typical in the 20th century, the focal point of our productive activities should be the perpetual improvement of our home lives by means of a more efficient working life. Prognosis: Our desire to emulate the powerful and wealthy by neglecting to share resources, make decisions based on the needs of others, or share our private spaces has led to a world where efficient budgeting behavior is stigmatized. The only people who share living space do so out of necessity. We accumulate tools for productive pursuits in the home and the workplace that easily could be shared. Thus, we become alienated to the experiences, perspectives, and lessons of others. We remain in anonymity to the larger world around us, reluctant to speak with strangers in public spaces. Most importantly, we do not practice the lessons that science contributes regarding our lifestyles and traditions. A population not in control of its habits and traditions is eager to be manipulated by them. Prescription: If we share more time together in common pursuits, we can live healthier, richer, wiser, freer and more efficient. If we set our minds to a mutually beneficial project, such as reducing costs of living through growing our own food; saving time by preparing food together; engaging in DIY projects such as automated farming, an independent electrical grid, and sustainable and environmentally controlled housing; we can establish the framework for a well-informed, self-reliant, and self-motivated community. Remedy: Such a community would undertake common projects to improve social cohesion, have fun, save money, and spread a vision for a more sustainable and democratic future. The process is as follows: Alpha Phase ) Gather Information and Ideas Beta Phase ) Spread aggregate of ideas and synthesize new ideas 1) Food Parties -- Get together to cook, eat, and freeze food to save time during the week. Share articles and books and become informed. 2) Talent Parties -- Jam sessions, hackathons, make parties, plays, performances, Youtube content, crowd-fundable activities or projects, and workforce integration tools like Slack. 3) Capital Parties -- Pool resources to buy/build cheap solar, electrical, and HVAC utilities and initiate long-term savings. 4) Labor Parties -- Pool resources to build the AutoAg and partner with Open Source Ecology-- Minimize Cost of Food and Maximize Free-Time 5) The Maker's Monastery, 21st Century Commune-- Quantified Self, Openly Disruptive, Walden 2, A Destination with Innate Value, Team-Building Exercises (Best Practices, Escape Rooms, etc.)... Trading Our Surplus Agricultural and Capital Goods, and Trading our specific talents and offerings of free-time and distraction free space, with the outside world for currency and for their specific talents. Also, bring in cool people. Cool people attract more cool people. And each of these stages has three seperate phases: Learn) This may be as simple as watching you tube videos, or TED Talks, or as invovled as a book or article club. Procure) This is a shopping trip or some online research and ordering. Food, Solar Panels, Building Materials, Financial Support, Marketing, or Volunteers. Share) At stage 1 we are sharing food, at stage 2 we are sharing skills, at stage 3 we are sharing money and hobby working time, at stage 4 we are sharing occasionally living space and professional working time, and at stage 5 we are sharing our way of life and our innate senses of purpose.